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. 2024;27(9):1148-1154.
doi: 10.22038/IJBMS.2024.74280.16142.

Therapeutic effect of fecal microbiota transplantation on rats with liver cirrhosis and its influence on gut microbiota

Rongrong Chen  1   2   3 , Fangmei Wu  1   2   3 , Guannan Zeng  1   2 , Yuanchun Chen  1   2 , Shiyun Lu  1   2   4 , Huping Huang  1   4
Affiliations

Therapeutic effect of fecal microbiota transplantation on rats with liver cirrhosis and its influence on gut microbiota

Rongrong Chen et al. Iran J Basic Med Sci. 2024.

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to explore the therapeutic effect of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) on liver cirrhosis-induced rat models by studying changes in intestinal flora distribution and liver pathology.

Materials and methods: Cirrhosis was induced in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats using carbon tetrachloride; successful establishment of the cirrhosis model was verified using hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. Rats were divided into normal control, cirrhosis model+normal saline, and cirrhosis model+FMT groups. Fecal intestinal flora was analyzed using 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing for each group. Alpha diversity, beta diversity, and functional prediction analyses were performed. Additionally, rat liver tissue was subjected to HE staining to compare the degree of fibrosis and liver damage between the groups.

Results: FMT significantly improved the diversity, richness, and uniformity of the intestinal flora in rats with liver cirrhosis. Notably, post-FMT, the abundance of lactobacillaceae, bacilli, and bacteroidia increased, while the abundance of clostridia decreased. Moreover, hepatic fibrosis improved after FMT.

Conclusion: The dysbiosis of intestinal flora in rats with liver cirrhosis improved after FMT. Thus, FMT can regulate intestinal flora, reduce liver inflammation, and improve hepatic fibrosis and cirrhosis.

Keywords: 16S rRNA; Fecal microbiota- transplantation; Gut microbiota; Intestinal flora; Liver cirrhosis.

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Conflict of interest statement

No benefits in any form have been received or will be received from a commercial party related directly or indirectly to the subject of this article.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining of liver tissue of rats with control liver cirrhosis and rats with fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT)
Figure 2
Figure 2
Venn diagram analysis of rats with control liver cirrhosis and rats with fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT)
Figure 3
Figure 3
Boxplot of alpha diversity index of rats with control liver cirrhosis and rats with fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT)
Figure 4
Figure 4
PCA analysis based on OTU level of rats with control liver cirrhosis and rats with fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT)
Figure 5
Figure 5
(a) Histogram of species composition analysis (Class). (b) Histogram of species composition analysis (Family). (c) Histogram of species composition analysis (Genus). (d) Histogram of composition analysis (Phylum)
Figure 6
Figure 6
(a) On the left is the relationship cluster analysis of the species/OTUs. The abscissa is the sample name, the ordinate is OTU/species, and the color depth represents the abundance of OTU/species. Only the dominant classes are present. (b) OTU and its taxonomic level heatmap (Family). Only the dominant families are present. (d) OTU and its taxonomic level heatmap (Genus). Only the dominant genera are present. (e) OTU and its taxonomic level heatmap (Phylum). Only the dominant phylum is present
Figure 7
Figure 7
Histogram of LEfSe analysis based on classification information of rats with control liver cirrhosis and rats with fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT)
Figure 8
Figure 8
Functional predictions
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